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Some people call me crazy but it doesn’t bother me. In fact, I’ve been called much worse.

Now don’t get me wrong; my potential craziness isn’t what you might think. That’s because I’m in cat rescue and am guardian to 4 of my own felines. So naturally I’m often referred to as the Crazy Cat Lady, like it’s a bad thing. A supervisor at Marin Humane even bought me a doormat saying the same. But she meant it in a good way. I think...

I wonder why I’m not called a crazy dog lady? I also have 4 canines and am as passionate about them as I am cats, yet nobody is ever referred to as crazy when they have multiple dogs. If you ask me, we cat ladies get a bad rap.

I recently read an article about the benefits of owning cats. But we cat guardians already knew that, didn’t we? (Another example of how NOT crazy we are.) We’re actually more sane than one would think. And smart? We cat ladies are smart cookies because, as it turns out, cats are good for us in more ways than one…

Smart cookies

#1. Cats are healthy for you. I’m not making this up. Actual studies have been done. Cats are furry little stress relievers. Something called oxytocin, a bonding hormone, is released when we pet cats. I, for one, can attest to this. After a particularly trying day, petting my fur ball Oliver always relaxes me. That is until Savannah, Tippi and Jack pile on and demand the same.

Heck, I’m relaxed just looking at Oliver

#2. The sound of your cat purring calms your nerves and lowers your blood pressure.I’m very familiar with this fact and I wholeheartedly agree…unless it’s 3:00 a.m. and that purring cat is lying 3 inches from my pillowed ear, its whiskers twitching against my cheek. In that case, I’d like to change my answer, please.

Tippi has exceptionally long, annoying whiskers

#3. Cat lovers may be smarter, more open minded and more sensitive.Yeah, baby! But a 2014 study also found that they tend to be more introverted. That, however, hasn’t been my experience. Would anyone who knows me call me introverted? I think not. The cat ladies I know are, for the most part, active, outgoing, engaging individuals. Not a hermit in the bunch.

…but there are always exceptions

#4. Cat people scored higher in intelligence compared to canine’s companions. Having both dogs and cats, I suppose that means I’m both smart and dumb. So as I see it, all my bases are covered.

#5. Cats are good for your ticker. In a vascular study, researchers noticed a link between cat ownership and a decreased risk of dying of a heart attack or stroke. To that I say…

#6. Cats keep loneliness at bay. I can tell you from experience I am never lonely. How would that be possible when I constantly have 4 felines sticking to me like furry Post-it notes?

#7. Cats are less expensive than dogs.The ASPCA says owning a furry feline instead of a pup can save you $300 to $800 a year. That may be true unless your cat needs emergency medical care (on a weekend evening, none-the-less) so a visit to pet emergency is required. Hey, how else would I have spent $638 on a Sunday night?

One costly kitty

In conclusion, and to prove my argument that cat ladies aren’t crazy, a recent study in The Journal of Psychological Medicine showed no link between cat ownership and psychosis. In fact, being a cat lady is decidedly good for your health. So there.

Yours Truly,

A healthy, stress-free, not nervous, smart, open-minded, sensitive, not lonely and definitely not crazy cat lady.

I think crazy is the operative word in my blog title. I agree there definitely is something to the phrase, crazy cat lady. Believe me, in our feral cat rescue, we encounter some, how shall I put it – eccentric women (why is it always women?) whose passion for cats borders on obsession.

Now don’t get me wrong; I’m not criticizing. I think anyone who devotes themselves to making life better for four-legged creatures is commendable. But I’ve also learned there’s a fine line.Continue reading →